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(No Model.) zs'neet's-sneet 1.

F. S. GUERBER. M Railway SignalinglAlpparat'us.

Pafentedlvlay 3 1881'.

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`(No Model.) 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 2;V

1 F. S. VGUERBER.` y Y RailwaySignaling Apparatus.

No.` 240,904. Patented May 3,1881.I

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UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

FREDERICK S. GUERBER, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE INTERLOCKING SWITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 240,904, dated May 3, 1881.

Application led December 30, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it mag/concern Beit known that I, FREDERICK S. GUEEBER, of Harrisburg, county of Dauphin, State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered a new and useful Improvement in Railway Signaling Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, concise, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in whichlike letters indicatin g like parts- Figure 13, Sheet 2, is aplan View or diagram of a portion of railway track-and switch with apparatus connected therewith, illustrative of the manner of applying and working my present invention. Fig. 14 is a detached view, in perspective, to an enlarged scale, and partly broken away, of the devices through the instrumentality of which the objects I have in View are effected. Figs. 15 and 16 are detached views,in perspective, of the slide-plates which I employ, and illustrative of their construction and different relative positions; and Fig. 17 is a like view, in perspective, of the switch-slide.

The figuresof Sheet l will be subsequently described and explained.

In railwaysignal and switch apparatus it is sometimes desirable to have at any particular switch two signa1s,one for the main track and one for the siding, so that the engineer in approaching the station may know not only that the track is clear for him to go ahead, but also may know that the'switch is properly set for him to take the main track or siding, as his duty may be.

My present invention relates to the construction of a signal-switch, or a switch in the line of signaling-connections, such that the signal-A operating connection will, in the shifting of the railway-switch, (and at the same time and by the same movement,) be shifted from one of two signals to the other, as a consequence of which, when the railway-switch is-properly set, such setting will throw the proper signal into engagement with the signal-operatin g devices. Hence when the main line'is open the movement of the signal-operating devices will operate or shift the main-line signal to a safety 7 5o position; and when the railway-switch is properly set for the siding such setting will bring the siding-signal into an operative connection with the signal-actuating apparatus, so that it may then be shifted to safety,77 and whichever signal is in gear the other signal will be at dangcr,77 if it be a semaphore-signal, or .will show a danger-light, if it be a light or night signal; and while in the present description I will describe the invention as applied `toa semaphoresignal, a light or other "suitable 6o signal is hereby expressly included as an equivalent.

In Fig. 13, A represents the Iixed rails ot' a railway-track, and A the movable switch-rails. From the switchmans cab, or from the usual 6 5 switch-stand, provision is made, by any suitable connection, y g', for shifting the movable rails A. A like connectiomh 71. h2 h3, is added for the operation of a safety rail or bar, i, and a locking-bolt, t', these devices having the con- 7o struction and operation described in United States Patent No.13l,788. From any suitable point in vthis line of connection-as, for example, from the lever @'2--a connecting-rod, f,.ex tendsto a bell-crank, 7c', and the latter, by a 75 rod, k2, is connected with the sliding box B; and while in the use of myinvention I do not limit myself to its combination with a safetyrail and sliding bolt, I have shown that cornbination as an advantageous one but at the 8o same time the rod k2 may lead directly or by any suitable interposed mechanism to the signal cabin or stand.

The sliding box B is mounted on any suitable base or foundation plate, B the two being united by suitable guides, as shown in Fig. 14, so that the box B may have a limited range of `longitudinal motion as actuated from or through the rod 7a2. This box is made hollow and open at its forward end; but its top and 9o bottom plates are bent inwardly, as at a a, so as to overlap or engage the edges ofthe switchslide D, and the opposite edges of the latter rest against the shoulders a akmade for that purpose in the box. The box B hasalso open sides at its forward end, or at any otherdesired point of its length, so as to provide for the operation crosswise of the box of the switchslide D. The latter has substantially the shape shown in Fig. 17. Its top plate, d, has a downroo wardly projecting tlange, d', and the bottom plate, e, has a shoulder, e. This switch-slide is connected, as shown in Fig. 13, by a rod, d2, bell-crank d3, and rod d4, with the switch-bar g', so that both the switch-slide D andthe movablerails of the switch shall receive motion simultaneously.

Passing through between the jaws or plates of the switch-slide D, and longitudinallyinto the cavity of the box B, are two slide-plates, C C', one of which is connected by a rod, c?, with the main-track signal, and the other by a like rod, c3, with the s-iding-signal, both signals being arranged on a signal-post, P, but preferably in such manner that a forward thrust or motion of the box B shall result in raising the signal in gear to a safety position, and a backward movement will let it come down to danger, or, if lights are employed, will display them accordingly. The slideplates C C are notched or recessed on their opposite edges, as indicated at c and c. The length of these recesses is such as that they may be readily engaged, the upper one bythe flange d and the lower one by the shoulder e ot' the switch-slide D; but -the parts are so proportioned that but one of the slide-plates C or C( shall be interlocked at once with the switch-slide D, and through it with the box B.

When both plates C C are back, which will be the case when the switch is unlocked and is free to be shifted, both the notches c and c will lie in the path of the switch-slide D, so that such slide may be shifted to release one of the slides and interlock with the other.

With the devices in the position shown in Figs. 13 and 14 the main line is open, and in opening it the switch-slide D has been shifted into a locking engagement with the slide-plate C, (the flange d' entering the recess 0,) and in the operation of locking the switch the boxB, and with it the slide-plateG, have been thrust forward so as to shift the main-line signal to safety.7 Also, by the same motion, in shifting the switch-rails, the shoulder e' has been caused to clear the recess c ot' thelower slideplate, C', as a result of which the siding-signal (previously brought to a danger position) remains so. The slide-plates then have the` positions shown in Figs. 14 and 15. If, now, it be desired to run a train onto or olf the siding, the operator first reverses the lever, which withdraws the locking-bolt 'i' and shifts the safety-rail The same motion communicated through k 7c 7a2 draws the box B back, and with it the slide-plate C and switch-slide D, and shifts the main-line signal to danger.7 Both recesses c c are then in the path or line of motion of the switch-slide D. The operad?, throws the switch-slide D to theleft, Fig.

13, causes the flange clto clear the recess c, and causes the shoulder e to enter the recess c of the lower slide-plate and make a lookin g engagement therewith. Then the operator reverses the lever connected with h, so as to give the locking-bolt fa forward thrust and lock the switch and restore the safety-rail to its workin g position. The same motion. transmitted through k lc 7a2 gives to the box B and to the slide-plate C', whicli,by theswitch-slide D, is now interlocked therewith, a forward thrust, which, leaving the main-line signal at dangeig shifts the siding-signal to safety- A reversal of the operation described restores the main-track connection, locks it, and shifts the main-line signal to safcty,77 leaving the other at dangen As thelength ofendwise motion ot'theswitchslide D does not need to be as great as the ordinary length ot' the sidewise movement ofthe switch-rails, provision may be made at any suitable point, as at d5, by means of a slot and pin, for such excess of movement, though the Y same result may be attained by varying the length of the bell-crank arms at d, orin other suitable way.

By increasing the number ofthe slide-plates and adding to the number of engaging shoulders or flanges of the switch-slide D, provision may be made for operating the three signals of a three-throw switchthat is, of a switch which in one adjustment gives a main-line connection and in its two other adjustments connects with one or the other ot' two sidings. A construction of devices for this purposeis illustrated in the drawings of Sheet 1, where Figs. 1 to G show, in perspective views, the sliding box,- slide-plates, and switch-slide in different positions of adjustment, and Figs. 2, 4, 5, and 6 having a portion of the devices broken away or sectioned the better to illustrate the operations involved; and Figs.7 to 12 are diagrams of switches or switch-movements. In these iigures, except as hereinafter explained, letters already used indicate like parts and of like operation as already set forth; but this use of the invention is particularly applicable to a threethrow stub-switch, and such switches are shown in Figs. 7 to 12, where I have indicated the movable rails by A', and which may be set to connect to the main track A, so as to form apart thereof, or to either ofthe sidings A2 or A3, as may be desired.

IOO

IOS

In addition to the slide-plates C C, I add a third slide-plate, G3, which, by its eye c4, has a stem-connection with the added signal, which in this case is the main-line signal. A pin, t, is inserted in this slide, so that its lower projecting end shall enter a groove, s s s2, made of a U shape, in the upper face of the top plate,d, of the switch-slide D. Assuming, now, that the track is set as in Fig. 7, the switch-slide D is then thrown tothe left to the extent of its fullest possible motion, and the shoulder e thereon is in engagement with the slide-plate C', as illustrated in Fig. 2, and the flange d is clear of the vvslide-platevC, and, also, the pint IBO is in the groove s, which extends in a direction lengthwise of the slid e-plate C3, so that the boX B may be thrust forward, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to shift signal 1 tofsafety,77 leaving the other two at danger, as in Fig. 7. Revers-` ing the motion last described, as shown in Fig. 2, brings all signals to danger,7 as'shown in Fig. S. Setting A to A brings the devices to the position shown-in Fig. 4, where the pin t occupies the cross-groove s', but in which adjustment d and e' are both clear of their slides C G. The switch-slide D is now iuterlocked with the slide-plate C3, so that the signal-shifting motion will give G3 a forward thrust, as in Fig. 3, and bring signal 2 to safety, as in Fig. 9, leaving the other signals at dan ger.7 Reversing the motion last described, as in Fig. 4, will bring all signals to danger, as in Fig. 10. Setting A' to A3, as in Fig. l1, brings the dcvices to the position shown in Fig. 5, where the pin t occupies the groove s2, which is lengthwise of the slide-plate C3, and the ange d' e11- ters the recess of the slide-plate C, so as to be interlocked therewith, and the shoulder c is clear of its slide plate C. Then, with the switch-lookin g and signal-shifting motion, the slide-plate C will1 he thrust forward, as illustrated4 in Fig. 6, so as to shift the signal 3 to safety, as illustrated in Fig. 12, leaving the other signals at danger On a reversal of this motion the devices will come back to the positions shown in Figs. 5 and l1; but in this construction, instead of guiding the switchslide D between a flange, a, and shoulder a', as in Fig. 14, I operate it by guides or ways z, as shown in Figs. 3 to 6, or byother equivalent means.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. A slide-box, B, connected with a mechanseveral slide-plates, substantially as set forth.

2. The box B, in combination with recessed slide-plates C C', and with switch-slide D, having ilange d and shoulder c', substantially as and for the purposes set forth. i

3. The combination of locking-bolt t", safetyrail t', and box B, actuated by a common motion, switch-slide D, actuated by the switchmotion, and signal slide-plates U C', substantially as set forth.

4. A signal-operatin g mechanism fior shifting any one of two or more signals, a corresponding number of signal-connections, and an interlocking mechanism operated by the switch movement, and by its motion thrown out of a locking engagement with one line of signalconnection and into a lockin gen gagement with another line, and without the necessary movement of either line for the purpose of such locking and unlocking, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination with the mechanisms of Figs. 14 to 17, the groove s s s2 ofthe switchslide D, the slide-plate O3, and its pin t, substantially as set forth. Y

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FREDERICK S. GUERBER.

Witnesses J Aivrns J ENKINs,

D. W. DIGKEY. 

